


Origami Flower

by spideyboistuff (sleepyboobear)



Category: Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Soft Peter Parker, Spider-Man Interacting with New Yorkers, it's just softness really, looking out for the little guy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:01:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25679290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleepyboobear/pseuds/spideyboistuff
Summary: Once he’s returned them to the ground, Peter offers to escort the boy and his mother back to their apartment. She takes some shaky breaths, still clutching the child, but when he smiles earnestly through the mask, she loosens her grip and nods unsteadily. She looks around, her gaze lingering on the immobilised men, then takes a last deep breath and starts leading him back out of the alley, muttering “It’s this way”.-Peter Parker interacts with 'the little guy', and maybe he gets a little attached.
Relationships: Peter Parker & New York
Comments: 12
Kudos: 206





	Origami Flower

**Author's Note:**

> aksjgdj i just drew [this](https://spideyboistuff.tumblr.com/post/624928739158032384/i-had-an-image-stuck-in-my-head-so-i-drew-it-and) weirdly specific scene so i had to write a prequel to make it make sense... sorry?

Peter has had a relatively quiet night patrolling, and he’s just about to make his way home to get some sleep when he hears a cry from an alley a couple of streets away. He makes his way over as quickly and silently as possible, landing behind a large square chimney at the edge of a building bordering the alley.

He peers around the ledge and sees that a woman has been cornered - two men behind her, blocking her escape, and one in the alley. She looks young and is wearing a large coat, her bare legs showing from mid-thigh downwards. She is clutching something to her chest and tucking her chin in as well, making her seem even smaller and more vulnerable.

The men are advancing slowly and she turns towards Peter, trying to find a way out and giving him his first look at the child she is holding in her arms. This sparks him into action and he leaps into the alley just as the young woman shouts again, throwing out one arm as if to guard the men off, “Please, I have nothing to give you!”

Peter lands in front of her, sweeping his foot out and catching the ankles of the closest thug, sending him toppling backwards. He turns quickly to the young woman and child and holds his hands up, “can I take you somewhere out of reach for a minute?” He says as gently as he can. She is staring wide-eyed at him but manages a gulp and a single nod.

He wastes no time in grabbing them both tightly and webbing back up to the building he’d watched from. He sets them down and tells them that he’ll be right back before backflipping into the alley where the muggers are just picking up their friend and turning to watch where their quarry went. They clearly were not intelligent enough to have taken the opportunity to escape, not that they’d have gotten very far if they had.

Peter quickly knocks out and webs up the muggers - getting a black eye for his trouble - and once he’s returned them to the ground, offers to escort the boy and his mother back to their apartment. She takes some shaky breaths, still clutching the child, but when he smiles earnestly through the mask, she loosens her grip and nods unsteadily. She looks around, her gaze lingering on the immobilised men, then takes a last deep breath and starts leading him back out of the alley, muttering “It’s this way”.

She seems unsteady on her feet so, when they reach the end of the street, Peter offers to carry the child. She spends a long time studying his eyes through his mask. She shouldn’t be able to see through them but standing as still as she is, Peter feels as though she’s reading all of his secrets. Finally, she smiles a little and further loosens her hold, letting go of the child’s head and letting him study Peter too. It’s unnervingly similar to what his mother had just done.

“His name’s Jack, and I’m Ellie,” the young woman speaks up, still with that small smile on her face.

Peter takes the child from her slowly and gently, careful not to squash the origami flower that the boy is clutching. He must be about five, but he’s painfully thin, and his eyes are sad. Peter realises he’s been mumbling nonsense comforting sounds and cuts himself off when the boy wraps his free hand around Peter’s shoulder, tucking his head against his collarbone.

“I’m...” Peter hesitates, peering down at the small boy clinging to him, “I’m Spider-Man. It’s a pleasure to meet you both.”

They continue walking, Ellie stuffing her hands in her pockets and glancing fondly (if shakily) at them every minute.

Peter tries to talk about mundane things like the weather and traffic in New York and eventually, the quivering boy in his arms relaxes a little and asks tentatively “do you like dinosaurs?”

Peter grins under his mask and tilts his head to make eye contact with Jack. “Dinosaurs are awesome. My favourite one is the parasaurolophus.”

The kid smiles gently and then goes on his own little conversation, all about which dinosaurs were better. Peter nods and ‘hmm’s appropriately and keeps an eye on Ellie whose hands are still shaking.

Mid-tirade, Jack stops and says in a strong voice, “They were bad guys. And you stopped them. I want to be a good guy like you.” There’s a moment of silence where Peter feels a little too overwhelmed to respond, then the boy nods firmly and launches right back into his speech. “So velociraptors were actually...”

Ellie looks over at them then, her expression warming and her lips tugging into a gentle smile. She reaches out a hand and just lays it on Peter’s arm for a moment, squeezing then letting go again.

When they arrive at their apartment (in a dodgy sort of area: Peter makes a mental note to patrol here regularly) Peter sets Jack down: he’s still talking about dinosaurs, but he cuts himself off and looks Peter in the eye again. “Do you think fairy dinosaurs were real?”

Peter grins and grips the boy’s shoulder, “I think, if fairy dinosaurs were real, they were the coolest of the dinosaurs.”

Jack nods seriously, “And the pirate ones would be even cooler.”

Peter has no idea where this newest twist in the conversation came from. “For sure. Now... can I ask you to do something for me?”

His eyes snap back to meet Peter’s, through the mask, and he nods solemnly.

“Can you look after your mom for me? Make sure she gets plenty of sleep and give her hugs every day? She needs a hero like you looking out for her.” He says this while looking over the boy’s shoulder, making eye contact with Ellie, who is watching them from just inside the apartment door. She gives him a watery smile, dipping her head in acknowledgement.

Peter’s attention flips back to Jack as he tilts his head and says “my mommy is dead.”

Peter’s breath catches in his throat and his heart stutters. What-?

The little boy then stands straight, puffing out his chest and clenching his fists at his sides, “but I can do that for Ellie.” He says while holding Peter’s eye solemnly.

Things click into place as he regards Ellie, standing nervously in the doorway. She’s so young and under the large coat is wearing a short diner-waitress dress.

Jack repeats “I can do that” softer, then, “thank you Spider-Man.” He extends his arm, offering Peter the little paper flower, “my sister made it for me, but I want you to have it now.” Peter takes hold of one of the petals delicately, handling it as though it may break any second. Jack then turns away from Peter and wraps his arms around Ellie’s legs in a fierce hug.

Peter stands up, feeling tightness in his chest as he takes in the little family. The older sister, whose hand is resting on the boy’s head, turns watery eyes on Peter and reaches out her other hand. She grips his hand tight, nearly crushing it.

“Thank you,” she whispers, her voice wobbling a little. Peter squeezes her hand back and nods, blinking hard behind his mask.

She lets go and retreats into their apartment as Peter starts walking backwards, still nodding. He raises a hand in farewell and then, ‘thwip’, disappears from view.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! apologies if it's terrible, this is the first time i've posted on here (or on anywhere for a long while). lmk if you like :)))


End file.
